Method of handling hides



ET AL 2,830,661

April 15, 1958 A. o. TRosTEL, JR.,

METHOD OF HANDLING HIDES Original Filed Aug. 3, 1955 Mw .-F Q A i. R; -nc, @e Rl l. fj. mw w Q A Q i y VEA/7' Rs. HW A rroRA/mst @Erg 2,830,661METHOD F HANDLING HIDES Albert 0. Trostel, Jr., and Howard J. Knoller,Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Albert Trostel & Sons Company, acorporation of Wisconsin Original application August 3, 1955, Serial No.526,143,

now Patent No. 2,799,339, dated July 16, 1957. Di- I vided and thisapplication April 17, 1957, Serial No. 653,491

4 Claims. (Cl. 164-17) hides, such as tail and cheek portions, thenmanually transfer each hide to another table, 'and then manually sliteach hide down the center to form two half sections. These'y sectionsare then ready to be classified according to weight. This procedure isslow and tedious, and requires an excessive amount of manpower. 1

It is' a general object of the present invention to provide a 'methodfor facilitating the above operation and for.

rendering thefsame semi-automatic.v

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of theimproved method of handling hides, and

all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the claims, and allequivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one complete embodiment of thepreferred form of the invention in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts n all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of apparatus for carrying out theimproved method;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, with the dot and dash lines indicatinghides in position thereon;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view illustrating theslitting mechanism proper and taken approximately on the line 3--3 ofFig. 5; l

Fig. 4 s a fragmentary plan view showing the frame for supporting theslitting wheel and taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken alongthe line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral designates anendless conveyor belt which is movable i around rollers 11 and 12supported on the ends of a frame 13. The roller 11 and endless belt maybe suitably driven through a sprocket chain connection 14 with anelectric motor 15. Near the outer end of the conveyor 10 are triangularhide spreading wings 16. These wings are in the form ofplates havinginner edges which are slightly above and in approximate alinernent withthe edges of the conveyor belt 1t). Each wing has sprocket wheels 17 and18 rotatably supported on its under side around which a sprocket chain19 or other endless belt or member is trained, there being suitableopenings in each plate 16 to permit one stretch of the'endless member totravel below the wing while the other stretch travels along the uppersurface of thewing, as is clear from Fig. 1. The endless members are inangularly divergent relationship with each other and with the sidesofthe conveyor belt 10. Projecting from the endless members 19 arespaced lugs 19' 2,830,661 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 ICC which may be ashort distance apart, and which are adapted to engage the hair on thehair side of the hide to open out the Shanks.

The sprocket wheels 18 are mounted rigidly on short shafts 20 and 21which are flexibly connected to each other by a cross-shaft 22. Theshaft 21 carries a drivingsprocket 23 which is driven by means of anendless chain 24 connected with an electric motor 25, as shown inFig. 1. With this arrangement the downwardly hanging edge portions A(Fig. 1) of hides 26 are guided up into parallelism with the mainportion of the hide which is on the conveyor 10, as is indicated in Fig.2, and the vangular endless chains which are moving underneath thoseportions of the hides which are on the triangular wings 16, aid inspreading these hide portions.

The inner end of the conveyor 10, as well as the inner ends of the wings16 overhang the ends of another conveyor which is designated generallyby the numeral 27. This conveyor includes a frame 28 supporting endrollers 29 and 30. Transversely spaced, parallel, endless belts 31 and32 travel around the .rollers 29 and 30. Between the spaced inner edgesof the belts 31 and 32 is a suitably supported longitudinal plate 33(see Figs. 2 and 5).

An electric motor 34, suitably mounted on the door drives a sprocketwheel 35 through the medium of an endless chain 36. The sprocket wheel35 is rigidly mounted on a shaft 36' suitably journaled in a bracket 37.Another sprocket wheel 38, on the shaft 36', is connected by an endlesschain 39 with a sprocket wheel 40 mounted rigidly on the axle.41 forvthe roller 29, the latter being fast on said axle. Thus, the electricmotor 34 serves toI drive both of the conveyor belts 31 and 32.

Intermediate the length of the conveyors 31 and 32 the centrallongitudinal divider plate 33 carries an elongated slitter block 42 (seeFigs. 3 and 5), which block is substantially triangular in crosssection, as shown in Fig. 5. The front end of the block 42-is tapereddownwardly toward the strip 33, as at 43, in Fig. 3. Near the rear endof the block is a knife hole 44 which registers with the knife hole inthe metal strip 33. Beyond the block, and supported on the strip 33, isan upstanding support 45 for a finger 46, the latter being spaced abovethe block 42 and having an upwardly curled forward end as shown in Fig.3.

Pivotally connected as at 47 to an overhead support 7 are arms 43. Thelower ends of said arms carry an axle 49 on which two pairs of rubbertired hold-down wheels 5l) are rotatably mounted, one pair being overthe conveyor belt 32, and the other pair being over the conveyor belt31.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, a knifecarrying frame51 comprising spaced bars is pivotally supported to the underside of theframe for the conveyor 27 by means of a pivot shaft 52, as shown in Fig.4, the frame 51 being rockable on the shaft 52. A circular hide slittingknife 53 is rotatably supported at one end of the frame 51 on a shaft54. Rigidly mounted on the shaft 54 is a pulley 55 which is connected byan endless beit 56 with a'pulley 57 on another shaft 58, said shaft alsocarrying a rigidly mounted sprocket wheel 59.

Depending from the knife frame 51 and rockable therewith is a seat 60(see Fig. 3) for an electric motor 61. The motor 61 is connected by anendless chain 62 with the sprocket wheel 59. The outer end of the knifeframe 51 is connected by an adjustment bolt 63 with a floorv bracket 64.By manipulating the nuts 65 on the bolt 63 the amount which the upperportion of the knife 53 projects through the slot 44 of the slittingblock 42 may be adjusted, and this adjustment may be effected withoutinterfering with the drive from the motor 61, because the motor 61audits seat 60 move with the frame 51 whenever the frame is adjustablyrocked on its pivot 52.

At the vend of` theconveyor. 27 is, hide branding "Intanner'ies eachhide is customarily received in ai bundletiedwith a cord, and itiscustomaryfor a tannery to receive-acar-ortruckload' ofsuch bundles.These bundles 'lmay be thrown yontothe preliminary conveyor 7], wherethe cord may be cut-by'rnen-standing on each side ofthe'conveyor 71,said men opening out each hide so thatby the time the hide-arrives at"the conveyor belt 10 it is sprea'd'out .as shown-bydotfand-'dash ylinesat the righthand endf'of `Fig; 2e @Men fstanding alongside the conveyor16 pickup'itheedges of the hide! as it `ris being moved `alongbyf-theconveyo n'clL-quicklyfslice off tail, cheek and other-projecting*The rear shank portions designated f-A in'Fi tendltovvanttofold under.These,*howeverjarim p froiiifthe downwardly hanging positioniof F4'Jbyitlief-spreadingfplates {1 6, and-the lugs" 19'*l of the'.whichextiid atvliveijgirig a Igles engage the hair; on the From theconveyor -lheh'ide'swae continuously discharged ontofth'e doubleV'cbnvey'or oom'prising thefbelts 31* and 32. ",He'reginen -onieachlside, 'of the-conveyor cen-'i ter'the" f'hid'e'isoftha't itsl`longitudinal center line isapprox imately over 'the stationarynplatel,as Qshofvvnin'Fig.r 2H.v In addition,-menfstandingj'bneach sidegofltheconveyor trim Voiiz' any projecting parts of the front andrear Shanks.

Thereaftenthe' center of ythe leading edgeof -the hide is forcedupwardly byfthe tapered part 43 of the siitting block 42, as'shown bydotand dash'lines in Fig. 3 and as also shown in Fig. 5` Shortly afterthis takes place the side'portions of the vhide are engaged bythejholddown wheels 56 which swing to engaging position underv theinuence of gravity and which tend to pull the hide taut over theslitting block 42 just before the hide is engaged by the rotary slittingknife 53. It is to be noted that the wheels 5; are supported so thatthey engage the hide shortly 'before the slitter. By the time the knifeengages the longitudinal center of the hide the latter is beingstretched over the highest portion of the slitting block 42 and is beingheld taut so that eicient slitting 'i is performed by thefknife S31.This knife, of course, severs the hide into two longitudinal halfsections. After passing through the s litter the cut edges pass on eachside of the support A45 and then on top of the plate 70 which preventsthe hide edges from getting tangled in the endless belts as they passaround the roller 249,` and which also guides said edges toward thebrandingA d evice 66. While the two halves' are being dischargedfrornthe machine', an edge of rst one and then of the other hide isguidedtinto the brander, and theblock 67 is operated to brand each halfsection. Thereafter the. hidey sections are weighed and tossed manuallyinto a selected pile, depending upon wcightclassiiicatn. Y 4

The knife 53 may be readily adjusted to protrude a predetermined amountthrough thel block 42,. by merely manipulating the nuts 65 on theadjustment lbplt. This 'ovable' endless members'. 19-

will cause rocking of the frame 51, and inasmuch as the motor 61 isrockably supported with the frame, such adjustment of the knife has noeiect upon the drive from the motor.

From the above it is apparent that a very simple method has been devisedfor eciently feeding hides in line formation to a slitting device, thearrangement being such that all of the preliminary trimming operationsmay be performed while the hides are being conveyed and prior to arrivalat the slitting station.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from-the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated,as may come within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

1. A method of trimming and slitting hides comprising continuouslymoving the hides in line formation with their major portions in ahorizontal plane andwith side portions of the hides overh-aging invertical plar 1estrim;v ming off parts of the overhanging portions ofthe hides on each side as they are being moved, thereafter spread,-A ingout the overhanging portions of each moving hide into parallelism withthe rest of the hide, continuously moving the spread out hides,thereafter trimming other parts of each hide while it is being moved,and slitting. each hide into two longitudinal half sections while-,itisbeingmovedn., 1 1

2. A method oftrimming and slitting, hides,c ompgi's;v ing continuouslymoving the hides in line-formationwith their major portions in ahorizontal planeandyithsile portions of thel hides-overhanging-v`in:vertical. plztr1 es,;' trimmingol parts of the overhanging-portionsof hides on each side as they are being-moved,v thereafter-r spreadingout the -overhangingportions of each moving hide into parallelismwith'the rest of the hideI andislittingft each hide into twolongitudinal halfsectionswhile-it beingmoved.

3. A method of tri ing'and slittingrhidescompri'sing; continuouslymoving the hides in yline .formation while supporting major portions ina horizontalwplaneand While allowing side portions of the hides to hangloosely under the inuence of gravity, trimming olf parts of said looselyhanging portions of the hides on both sides as. they are being moved,thereafter spreading out and sup,-

" lporting the loosely hanging portions of each moving hide intoparallelism with the rest of the hide, continuously. moving the spreadout hides, thereafter trimming other parts of each hide from both sideswhile it is being moved, and slitting each hide into two longitudinalhalf-sections while it is being moved. v

4. A method of trimming and slitting hides comprisingy continuouslymoving the hides in line formation. with their major portions in ahorizontal plane and with side portions of the hides overhanging invertical planes, trimming oi parts of the overhanging portions of thehides on each side as theyare being moved, thereafter spread. ing outthe overhanging portions of each moving hide into parallelism with therest of the hide, continuously moving `the spread out hides, thereaftertrimming other parts. of each hide while it is being moved, producing ataut condition in each hide along the longitudinal center thereof whileit is being moved, and slitting each hide into two longitudinalhalf-sections while it is being moved and while it is being held taut.

References Citedl in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,799,339 rrostel etal. 1 .j July 16, 19,51

